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“A” Pretty Little Makeup Tutorial

Hello everyone! Welcome back to another Beauties on Fire Collaboration post!

This week’s voted theme was movies and books. Since I was such a bookworm as a child, and have probably watched more movies on Netflix than a human should during their lifetime, narrowing down such a theme is next to impossible for me.

After hemming and hawing over all the possible options that would be best to do for this post, I decided to simply do something based on the most recently watched show on my Netflix history queue, which turned out to be perfect as the show is also a book series: Pretty Little Liars.

This show (and what I remember from reading most of this book series as a preteen) is full of twists, turns, and suspense as four girls lives are changed forever as a mysterious and violent stalker enters their worlds. The show is by no means the Most Amazing Show ever, but the fashion, hair, and makeup is definitely worth the watch (of at least the first season).

Hair:

Long, loose curls with a beachy vibe are the staple hairstyle of the show. To get their signature style, prep hair with a heat protection spray. Section off the top 2/3 of your hair. Take a small-medium (like 1/4″-1″) barrel curling iron, and curl small chunks of hair away from your face. Repeat on the next sections. On the final section (the hair on top of your head), create a center part before curling. Once all of your hair is completely curled, mist it with hairspray, and let the hair cool. Don’t touch the ringlets until hair is completely cooled. After they are cool, gently finger comb them out. For a softer, more feminine look, mist again with hairspray if needed. For a more beachy variation, spray with a sea salt texturizing spray and scrunch it through hair before the final spritz of hairspray.

A lot of the time, this hairstyle is supplemented with a stylish headband, or sometimes pulled back at the sides with braids.

Makeup:

Each of the girls has their own unique style, but in general, the four rock dark, suductive eyes, subtle contour, and soft pink blushes and lips. The customization tends to focus on the eye makeup. Aria’s look tends to use deep, smokey purples to help her eyes pop, while Spencer has a classy brown matte eye. Emily’s look is very sweet and utilizes lighter neutrals and pinks with subtle tight lining and lots of mascara, and Hannah is known for darker, smokier greys with dramatic liner.

This tutorial combines all of these elements for a look that is classically PLL. Feel free to customize it to your favorite character (or eye color)!

1) While none of the girls wears a thick pancake of foundation, a flawless, matte finish is non-negotiable. I personally used a cushion compact for a smooth, light, and natural finish, but a beauty blender/makeup sponge would also work just as well.

2) Conceal whatever needs concealing. I took Skinfood’s Salmon Dark Circle Concealer to help with my undereye area and some red spots, then brightened my eye area, the bridge of my nose, the center of my forehead, and the center of my chin with Urban Decay’s Naked concealer.

3) Give everything a quick set with some translucent powder.

4) While contouring in this show is often done half the time with some strategically placed blush without formal contouring, I went ahead and lightly contoured my cheeks, forehead, and jawline. I then swiped blush directly along my cheekbones, helping create a more chiseled effect.

5) I used some brow powder and clear brow gel to achieve a neat and groomed (but natural) brow.

6) As this week had been crazy hectic, my eye area was still tragically dark and tired looking. To counteract this effect and look a little more awake, I used a light, bone colored shadow all over my eye area, from my lashes to my brow bone, focusing my efforts on the inner eye area to “fake awake.”

7) I began defining my eye by swiping a light grey shade all over my lid, just above the crease. I also took it below my eye, just using it on the outer half of my waterline.

8) To smoke out the eye and achieve the signature PLL smolder, I took a deep black pencil liner and applied it along my lash line and halfway along my outer lower lash line, using a Q-tip to smudge and blend out any harsh lines.

9) To define my eyes even more, using a precision brush, I tight lined my eyes with black gel liner. I lightly smudged it into my lashes with the Q-tip.

10) Once my lid makeup was complete, I moved onto my lashes. Since I am apparently allergic to any and all eyelash glue, I, of course, proceeded to curl the living daylights out of my poor lashes, but this would be the time to apply some falsies if you aren’t cursed like I am. Layer on the mascara, both the top and bottom lashes.

11) For the lips, I went for a classic PLL light pinky nude shade. Actual red lips are a rarity in the show; most likely as such a dramatic eye would look strange paired with a dramatic lip. Finish off with a clear gloss to complete the look.

I really like the core makeup idea used in this show. Depending on the colors you use, it can be very casual or very dressy, but always pretty and polished no matter how you wear it. Strategic “blush contouring” is a great time saving makeup hack I picked up from this show, and now use almost daily. Best of all, the more natural lip colors mean optional lip liner, and a heck of a lot less reapplication and double checking in the mirror sessions throughout the day.

So have you ever read or watched Pretty Little Liars? If you have, who is your favorite?

And, as always, be sure to check out all the other amazing collab posts by clicking the picture below!

You are so beautiful girl! Love the look and totally reminds me of PLL. I watched the first couple of seasons when I was in college. I fell off the bandwagon when I graduated though haha. So long ago haha! I totally should binge watch it on Netflix.

Oh wow I didn’t know PLL were a book series too! I’ll definitely have to check those out, I’ve never watched this series but my best friend is obsessed with it! This look suits you so much, you’re so naturally beautiful! ❤